Wind-wheel



(No Model.)

R. G. KIRKWOOD.

WIND WHEEL.

7 No. 278,561. Patented May29,1883.

' Inventar A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT e. KIRKWOOD, or EIJLIUOTT CITY, MARYLAND.

WlND-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,561, dated May 29, 1883.

Application filed April 21, lea-2. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT G. KIRKWOOD, of Ellicott City, Howard county, in the State of Maryland, have inventeda new and useful Improvementin Wind-Wheels; and Ido hereby declare that the following isan accurate description of the same.

My invention relates, first,t the structureof the supporting-frame; second, to the structure of thewheelframe third, to the structure of the wheel; fourth, to the structure of the governing device; fifth, to the structure of the T tailvane; and the particular mattersof structure will be pointed out in the following description and claims annexed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my wheel.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal or plan view of the tailgvane, showing its connection with the tubular J frame. I Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional details of the wheel. r The principal or base support for my wheel may be constructed in any-proper manner. That part of the working structure does not I bular post,'A. A is a post upon which the mechanism of the device is mounted.

enterinto this invention. The immediate support of the wheel and its mechanism is a tu- B is a lug, having a central opening adapted to receive the tube A. Lug B is provided with arms or arectangular band. by means of which it is rigidly united. to post A. B is also a lug rigidly fixed to post A, and it is provided with acentral opening adapted to receive the tube A.

. plate 1) serves as a partial bearing for the lower wheel-arm. Said plate also serves as a stop for said lower arm.

A? is a collar providedwith a flange-plate,

A said collar and flange being rigidly united to tube A.

The frame C is a single tubular hub with two lateral arms, 6 e, and perforated .lugs ff at their extremities, through whichthe tube A passes when theparts are in working position to form a pivot whereon the wheel may swing through one-fourth of a circle,nearly, to bring its face or edge to the wind. The tubular hub portion of the frame 0 constitutes the .bearin g letter at an intermediate distance.

pieces I are attached to the armsat thepoints' for the shaftGrof the wheel H. The inner end of the shaft Gr bears the crank-wheel I, and thereby drives the pitman J. The upper end of this pitmun passes through a slot, a, in the lugf, and engages with *an arm, (I, which extends laterally from the upper end of the tu-' .bular piston-rod K, which descends through the tube A to transmit motion from the shaft G to the driven mechanism below.. In order to prevent any rotary movement of'the pistonrod K-on its own axis, the extremity of the arm 61 moves up and down in a slotted plate or loop, g,erected on the lug f.

The wheel H has a solid 'center, i, secured rigidly to the end of the shaft G, and from said center aseries of arms, h, radiate. The number of these arms is greater or less, according to the size or purpose of the wheel. Two rimstrips,j k, of metal, are mounted upon said arms, the former at their extremities and the Lateral ofattachment of the stripsj 7c, and as a mat: A

ter of fact I prefer to constitute these pieces the means of attachment, the stripsj It being riveted to said strips Z, and the ends of the latter, m m, are bent over for convenient attachment by screws with the sides of the arms, as shown. This particularmethod is not essential, however. The pieces lextend backward toward the frame (J, and at their extremities they bear other rim-strips, rs, and the flat sheet-metal vanes L are'secured between these front and rear rim-strips, as shown, the front edges being strengthened by attachment to the 'arms It. The vanes. L" may be. further strengthened and braced by strips 1). The inner strip-s, k 8, may be unitedand formed from asingle sheet, if desired,and the same may be said of the outer strips,jr; but my preference is to make them separate, as shown, and thus,

render the wheel lighter. By this method of construction the working-surfaces of the wheel are all in rear of its point of attachment to its shaft, and the latter is thereby relieved of the wrenching strains inseparable from the location of the working-surfaces in front of said point of attachment.

Thisinvention belongs to that class of wheels known as flexible tail-vane wheels, wherein there is a pivotal connection betweenthe tailvane and the wheel-frame, so that while the tail-vane is in themwindsplane the wheel may assume a position parallel or transverse thereroo to, or be placed at anyintermediate angle of obliquity. In this case I have shown a rigid connection between the tail-vane and the tube A, and I prefer to construct it in that way,

yet it is not a necessary mode of structure,

because the tail-vane might be caused to revolve on said tube as well as on the wheelframe.

In order to govern and control the wheel, a small side vane, M, is employed, which presents its face to the wind when the wheel presents its face to the wind, and it is so geared to the wheel -frame that as the force of the wind increases and surpasses a certain predetermined force said side vane will be pressed back and cause acorresponding movement of the wheel on its pivotal support A, so as to present its edge mo e and its face less to the wind, and thereby reduce the exposure ofworkof the wheel will also be parallel with the tailvane, and will then present its edge to the wind and come to rest. The resistance or governor to prevent this movement taking place whenever the wind blows is a counter-weight applied to theside vane. In thisinstance said weight is shown atN. A backward movement of the tail-vane will raise said weight, and is there resisted by its gravity, and the weight is therefore adjustable or subject to increase or diminution of effect in some way, so that'the power developed bythe wheel may be in some way under control. When it is desired to stop the wheel or hold it at rest the tail-vane M is forcibly pulled around, and the wheel is thereby brought edge to the windfand this is accomplished at pleasure by a cord, t, which extends from some proper part of the arm ofthe side tail-vane over a swiveled pulley, a, and down through the tubular frame A to a point convenient to the hand of the attendant. The

pulley a may be supportedby apostw, erected upon the segment 8, or otherwise attached to the tail-vane frame M.

The tail-vane D is composed of sheet metal, and it is supported by two converging arms, P, which have their forward ends secured at the extremities of the arms of' plate I). At their rear ends the arms P are secured in a double cap, to, and at intermediate points they are supported by ties y y, and at mid-points the ties 5111 have attached to them brace-pieces z, to which the vaneD is riveted and supported. The arms P give the vane its lateral support, and it is supported vertically by the stringrods Q.

The plate I) is provided with a 'flange, B,

which serves as a stop to limitthe movement of the wheel-and its frame.

It will be observed that the framework of this machine is largely constructed of ordinary pipe and connecting-thimbles, 850. The parts A K P and arms of the side vane are so composed. This greatly facilitates and cheapens the construction.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The post A, having lugs B B, rigidly secured thereto, in combination with the tubular rotating pivot A, provided with rigid collar b and stop-plate b, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. The post A, having liigs B B, rigidly secured thereto, and the tubular rotating pivot A, provided with collar 1) and stop I), rigidly secured thereto, incombination with the tubular hub 0, arms e, and collar-arms ff, the lower arm f being provided with a lug adapted to engage the stop-lug on the flange-plate b, as set forth.

3. The wheel H, shaft G, crank-wheel I, supported by hub O, and the pitman J, in combination with the upper armfof the wheel-frame, provided with slot at and guide rods or 100 g, and the piston-rod K,- provided with lateral .arm (1', whereby said piston-rod is prevented idly attached thereto, and the hub 0, having 'D being rigidly united, as set forth.

6. The wheel H, constructed with the solid center "i, and the arms h h, extending radially therefrom, andthe rim-stripsj k, secured thereto, as described, combined with the strips 0 8, supported in rear of said arms by the piece I, and thesheet-metal vanes L, attached substantially as set forth.

7. In a wind-wheel provided with metallic rim, the sheet-metal vanes re-enforced with diagonal strips P, riveted fast to said vanes, as set forth. v v

8. The converging stays P, secured attheir front ends to the cross-plate b, and their rear ends to the cap-piece w, combined'with the intermediate cross-bar, y y, and the brace-strips a, to support the vaneD, as set forth.

t B- e. K R WQQ Witnesses: Y

R. D. 0. SMITH,

J. CLTURNER. 

